Things NOT to do

[Glflegolas]

4 hours ago, piddy3825 said:

Yeah, a push for the summit is always an adrenaline packed adventure, especially when spawning right into TMW day 1 and all.  Just curious on how high up you gotta be to say "I'm going for it!" 
I just started a new Stalker run in TMW and spawned just before the log bridge on the way to Deer Clearing during the late night/early morning and debated doing just that.  As the weather was looking uncooperative, I choose to battle my way back to the Mountaineer's Hut instead.  I did finally make it up there, but not for some time after.  If I recall, there was a sleeping bag in summit cave next to the sitting corpse.  If memory serves, this bag spawns here all the time.  cant say if that's true on Interloper as I typically dont play that difficulty.

The bedroll doesn't spawn there on Interloper. You're welcome to edit my blog post for yourself, if there's an error in anything I wrote.

[Stinky socks]

9 hours ago, UpUpAway95 said:

but where's the fun in always playing it safe?

How is climbing the summit while not prepared playing it safe lol?😁

[UpUpAway95]

2 hours ago, Stinky socks said:

How is climbing the summit while not prepared playing it safe lol?😁

That's the point - it's not safe, it's the ultimate gamble.  Playing it safe is going down to the Mountaineer's Hut and heading from there into PV. getting kitted out there and coming back prepared... But where's the fun in always doing that?  I find it more fun to take the risk... gamble the entire run on finding a hacksaw at the summit... if I make it to the summit.  When it pays off, I'm off to a really good start.  When it doesn't, it's always easy to start a new run... and chances are I don't get the same spawn again right away... so I can play it safe with that run.  All I have invested in the summit push is really only a few minutes of game play.  It's not like I've been playing that character for a month.

Edited April 17, 2021 by UpUpAway95

[Stinky socks]

Ah, you good sir are the ultimate risk taker! 

[UpUpAway95]

6 hours ago, Glflegolas said:

The bedroll doesn't spawn there on Interloper. You're welcome to edit my blog post for yourself, if there's an error in anything I wrote.

You do generally get some coffee at the summit if you get lucky and get the hacksaw spawn there.  You can goat down to the Mountaineer's Hut without using any ropes, so being tired is not an unsurmountable issue at that point.  You will always get the distress pistol and are, therefore, armed early game... so that's the payoff that makes it worth the effort even in Loper especially if you spawn high on the mountain anyways.  If the run fails, it's only a few minutes lost and one can always start a new run.

The only thing I would say a player shouldn't do in this game is fall into the trap of playing it using "universal" rulesets that contain words like "never do that or "always do this."  There is a saying that pops up at the start that says something like the key to survival is being able to adapt.  IMO, staying alert and analyzing your situation and then adapting what you planned to do to the circumstances you actually find yourself in... IS the best way to play this game.

Edited April 17, 2021 by UpUpAway95

[Glflegolas]

7 hours ago, UpUpAway95 said:

You do generally get some coffee at the summit if you get lucky and get the hacksaw spawn there.  You can goat down to the Mountaineer's Hut without using any ropes, so being tired is not an unsurmountable issue at that point.  You will always get the distress pistol and are, therefore, armed early game... so that's the payoff that makes it worth the effort even in Loper especially if you spawn high on the mountain anyways.  If the run fails, it's only a few minutes lost and one can always start a new run.

The only thing I would say a player shouldn't do in this game is fall into the trap of playing it using "universal" rulesets that contain words like "never do that or "always do this."  There is a saying that pops up at the start that says something like the key to survival is being able to adapt.  IMO, staying alert and analyzing your situation and then adapting what you planned to do to the circumstances you actually find yourself in... IS the best way to play this game.

Exactly -- TLD is a strategy game, and the tips listed in this forum thread are very similar to chess opening theory. Killing a wolf by intentionally getting into a struggle with it (for an example) is akin to developing your queen early on in the game; it's generally not a good idea, but, under the right circumstances, it just might pay off.

[UpUpAway95]

13 hours ago, Glflegolas said:

Exactly -- TLD is a strategy game, and the tips listed in this forum thread are very similar to chess opening theory. Killing a wolf by intentionally getting into a struggle with it (for an example) is akin to developing your queen early on in the game; it's generally not a good idea, but, under the right circumstances, it just might pay off.

Well, I wouldn't go so far as to elevate tips in TLD to conventions in chess myself... nor would I say that TLD is truly a strategy game.  It is a survival game whose RNG throws out unexpected twists and turns that you are expected to make adaptive decisions about.  The computer is not "plotting" towards an endgame the way your opponent does in chess.  Nor is there a point where your strategy is going to cause the game to "surrender" its king.

My point was more about keeping it fun rather than allowing the game to be rote repetition of "things to do" and rote avoidance of "things not to do."  At any point, the only thing you actually have to lose is the time you've invested in that run to that point... and starting again is always an option.

Edited April 18, 2021 by UpUpAway95

[Schrodingers Box]

Don’t post on a forum unless you know what you are talking about so that you Don’t give misinformation. If you don’t know or aren’t sure, you can help out the community by just keeping silent. 
  for example, don’t say “hunting animals and not harvesting them causes blizzards”. it’s absolutely untrue and in fact it’s a good strategy to develop your bow skill quickly.

   also- on interloper, don’t “save” your sewing kits. use them first and often because once you level up to higher levels in mending (which takes ridiculously, insanely long) using fishing tackle becomes much faster so you can just use fishing tackle without penalty and without limit in resources since gut and hooks are virtually unlimited. 
 

Edited April 18, 2021 by Schrodingers Box

[Schrodingers Box]

2 hours ago, The Orange Birb said:

Ya, I'm 400+ days into a survival save, had a previous one that went for ~100 days, played some challenges, and beat the story mode (As of right now). No one here is spreading misinformation.

As I have mentioned, fishing tackle does not take much longer than a sewing kit, except for items like the Wolfskin Coat, etc. If you actually read my post, you would know. Here it is for you, as you clearly didn't read it for yourself:

And have you considered how fishing tackle is actually FASTER when it comes to crafting animal clothing? Using the sewing kit for that would actually make you waste a lot more time and use something that is more rare in the higher difficulties. To add on, in the beginning when your mending skill is lower, you will fail A LOT when fixing clothes. This will cause you to waste a good amount of sewing kits, which would be better to use in emergency situations, when every minute counts. Of course in the beginning you will most likely use a sewing kit, as you won't have guts nor scrap metal. However, once you do, it is a lot better to save your sewing kits when you are in a bad state (Very low condition clothing, causing you to freeze, etc.).

So no, I'm not spreading "misinformation," you just didn't read my post all of the way.

You are so incorrect. Once you learn the game you will understand. Master interloper - hell even try it once and then come back. 

[foreverlost]

On 2/28/2021 at 2:25 PM, Stinky socks said:

DO NOT use auto-walk in ravine.

And watch your step, died that way.

[MrWolf]

On 4/18/2021 at 8:26 PM, The Orange Birb said:

And have you considered how fishing tackle is actually FASTER when it comes to crafting animal clothing? Using the sewing kit for that would actually make you waste a lot more time and use something that is more rare in the higher difficulties. To add on, in the beginning when your mending skill is lower, you will fail A LOT when fixing clothes. This will cause you to waste a good amount of sewing kits, which would be better to use in emergency situations, when every minute counts. Of course in the beginning you will most likely use a sewing kit, as you won't have guts nor scrap metal. However, once you do, it is a lot better to save your sewing kits when you are in a bad state (Very low condition clothing, causing you to freeze, etc.).

Fishing tackle is not faster than a sewing kit for crafting - it just seems that way if you do not have a sewing kit in your inventory.  I think it's a bug, but it's been that way for a long time.  If you don't have the item (sewing kit or fishing tackle), the reported time is much higher.  Next time you have both, check the times, then drop one or the other on the floor, and check the times again.

[Stinky socks]

1 hour ago, MrWolf said:

Fishing tackle is not faster than a sewing kit for crafting - it just seems that way if you do not have a sewing kit in your inventory.  I think it's a bug, but it's been that way for a long time.  If you don't have the item (sewing kit or fishing tackle), the reported time is much higher.  Next time you have both, check the times, then drop one or the other on the floor, and check the times again.

Well now I'm confused. I saw with my own 3 eyes that fishing ta Klein is faster! I always thought it was the opposite!

 

Edit: I always thought sewing kit was faster until I saw it with my eyes.

Edited April 22, 2021 by Stinky socks

[UpUpAway95]

On 4/18/2021 at 6:26 PM, The Orange Birb said:

Ya, I'm 400+ days into a survival save, had a previous one that went for ~100 days, played some challenges, and beat the story mode (As of right now). No one here is spreading misinformation.

As I have mentioned, fishing tackle does not take much longer than a sewing kit, except for items like the Wolfskin Coat, etc. If you actually read my post, you would know. Here it is for you, as you clearly didn't read it for yourself:

And have you considered how fishing tackle is actually FASTER when it comes to crafting animal clothing? Using the sewing kit for that would actually make you waste a lot more time and use something that is more rare in the higher difficulties. To add on, in the beginning when your mending skill is lower, you will fail A LOT when fixing clothes. This will cause you to waste a good amount of sewing kits, which would be better to use in emergency situations, when every minute counts. Of course in the beginning you will most likely use a sewing kit, as you won't have guts nor scrap metal. However, once you do, it is a lot better to save your sewing kits when you are in a bad state (Very low condition clothing, causing you to freeze, etc.).

So no, I'm not spreading "misinformation," you just didn't read my post all of the way.

Respectfully, there is a piece of misinformation here... You cannot craft or repair either a wolfskin coat or a bearskin coat or a bearskin bedroll with either a sewing kit or fishing tackle.  They require a knife, improvised knife or, IIRC, a hatchet or improvised hatchet can also be used (with the hatchets taking longer than the knives).

[Glflegolas]

On 4/18/2021 at 11:31 PM, Schrodingers Box said:

You are so incorrect. Once you learn the game you will understand. Master interloper - hell even try it once and then come back. 

Interloper is almost its own game, IMO, due to the extreme scarcity of resources forcing the player to use strategies that you'd almost never need to use in any other difficulty (not wasting matches, never leaving coal behind, only eating before sleeping, etc). With that being said, I'm ok at it, but certainly no master.

[GothSkunk]

When travelling, do not carry meat as "travelling food." Even cooked meat.

 

Even though there's no scent indicator for carrying one piece of cooked meat, you still give off a scent, which wolves will pick up on, and track you with. When travelling, carry only non-meat food. 

[Guest jeffpeng]

Here, have some real wisdom:

Don't believe everything you read on the internet. (This one is actually originally from Abraham Lincoln, so kudos Abe!)

While most stuff here is pretty good advice, some ... well ... might be misleading. But hey, opinions, you know. So here are mine:

Don't play for day 100 (or 1000 or whatever). Play towards your next goal, try to improve your situation, not your wealth, use what you have to your advantage. There is no interest for riches you accumulate, and nobody will inherit them. You will die of something stupid or quit the game out of boredom before you run out of anything (unless you are playing like a single map challenge). Don't be that guy that dies with a stim in his hand.

Don't quit. Nature will do you in all on its own. You don't need to surrender - you will die when it's time. Many situations that may look hopeless are salvageable with a bit of work, a bit of luck and a bit of humility.

Don't have a plan. Have an objective. No plan survives contact with the enemy. Sure, you need an idea how to approach a problem, but you also need to factor in new variables as they become known to you. Planning to climb that mountain tomorrow might be a good plan. Sticking to that plan in a blizzard is not. Passing up an opportunity just because it doesn't fit in your schedule might be stupid - or not, depending on the importance of your schedule and the extend of the opportunity. Keep reevaluating your situation as often as possible.

Don't dillydally. Your most valuable resource is time. Need to wait an hour to do something? Find something to do until then. Sharpen your knife, clean your rifle, prepare some tea, read a book, run around gathering firewood, break up some torches, tear down some curtains, go kill something, map your surroundings, look for things in your inventory you don't need. Just don't waste your time waiting for some water to boil. That being said ....

Don't rush yourself. Haste makes waste. Spending 10 minutes to make sure something that almost never happens but kills you when it does doesn't happen are 10 minutes well spend. Waiting for better weather might get you where you want to go faster rather than setting out in deep fog and getting lost. The extra mile just before sunset might be the extra mile that makes the exhausted you meet the hungry wolf you didn't see.

Don't be a mule. Don't lug around 55 kilograms of garbage. Stash stuff you don't need somewhere and note where you left it. Chances are you will never come back to get it because you just don't need 6 toolboxes or 14 hatchets or 4 hammers or 9 pots or 7 rifles in the time you will in all likelihood play this particular save. Stay light.

And maybe the most important thing I came to realize:

Don't think you know. Yon don't know that there never is a wolf at this particular spot. Maybe there never was a wolf before here, but this time a wolf got scared by a bear - that was detoured by you carrying some smelly meat 4 hours ago - and so that wolf ended up ripping you a new one at a spot it shouldn't be. It's a cliché if there ever was any, but really do expect the unexpected - because it'll be the thing that kills you.

[mfuegemann]

If a wolf is chasing You, don't hide inside Your snow shelter - it will not work.

[Dan_]

Got a couple simple ones:

Weight is mostly irrelevant, if you're not climbing any ropes anytime soon use it as a resource, load up on sticks as you travel and just drop them at a convenient location ( a cave, fire barrel, safe house, anywhere! ) , allow the amazing re-spawn mechanics to work, pick up the sticks and new ones will show in place of those in due time! Carry a buffer of sticks for emergency firewood and as some wise LongDarkians before me said: ABS -> Always be stickpicking! If you have to climb some ropes, drop enough sticks to make it and just carry on, you'll eventually have to travel through that spot again in the future, plus the stick pile at the bottom of the rope serves as an emergency cache, in a scenario where you have to get a few z's before climbing. Stickpicking it's TLD's dividend investing, it just keeps on giving. 

Your condition is also a resource, so you use it accordingly. You're settled in a nice safe house away from predators? You can stay  outside longer to fend off cabin fever and collect resources ( or even gawk at the amazing art this game has, this isn't about minmaxing, it's about enjoying the game while you freeze you nuts off), draining your condition below 50% is not a big deal then. Are you about to enter a wolf infested chokepoint with no means of self-defence? Top up that condition bar  and prepare for a possible struggle, you shouldn't really need to struggle if your aim is even moderately decent, but it's good to have 90%+ condition should you need to.

Explore! I've seen countless threads ( mostly on reddit ) of people questioning if they should take their survivor to Bleak Inlet, Ash Canyon or Hushed River Valley. Losing a survivor is a also an extremely cool rite of passage, I remember a couple losses that taught me lessons I still carry to this day ( one was a 430+ loper, before I had the 500 day achievement ) but that never precluded me from checking the new regions. I've explored BI with Tom McKenzie, Will's roughneck and frostbitten cousin, and he beat the ass of the Timberwolves with a bow in his hand. For Ash Canyon I took Will himself there, if he dies he dies. Historytelling and roleplaying are key to enjoy survival, but don't let the attachment from that dull out your willingness and resolve to go further and farther!

Last one: The best difficulty is the one you get most enjoyment out of. Simple as that, experiment with the difficulty levels and find your groove. No shame in playing any of the difficulty levels, because let's be honest, they all become easy with enough practice, but no less enjoyable. If you want even more suffering and freezing, the custom toolbox is always available and many forum members put together some codes for very interesting challenges. Replayability, that's the crown jewel in the treasure room of features this amazing game has.

EDIT: I suddenly realized the thread is about things NOT to do, and I just postulated the opposite here. Sorry OP! Just apply a negative to the wall of text above and the semantics should work with the thread. Sorry!

Edited July 8, 2021 by Dan_
I can't read titles, apparently.

[Stinky socks]

Thank you!

[MrWolf]

11 hours ago, Dan_ said:

EDIT: I suddenly realized the thread is about things NOT to do, and I just postulated the opposite here. Sorry OP! Just apply a negative to the wall of text above and the semantics should work with the thread. Sorry!

Excellent advice in that post.  It works perfectly - what "not to do" is not paying attention to the great tips!

[Leeanda]

Don't think your safe no matter where you are!

[Semple Fi]

Don't go into the ravine in BR without a rope.

[Glflegolas]

On 6/15/2021 at 3:58 AM, jeffpeng said:

Don't think you know. Yon don't know that there never is a wolf at this particular spot. Maybe there never was a wolf before here, but this time a wolf got scared by a bear - that was detoured by you carrying some smelly meat 4 hours ago - and so that wolf ended up ripping you a new one at a spot it shouldn't be. It's a cliché if there ever was any, but really do expect the unexpected - because it'll be the thing that kills you.
 

I want to make a minor addition to the point you just brought up.

Don't be careless after an update is released. Maybe you've used a particular cave as a base for weeks in-game, and found it to be totally safe. Months/years later (IRL) you come back to the same location, expecting it to be safe. Unbeknownst to you, in the meantime, Hinterland decided to add a wolf spawn node there. Or, they may have changed the wolf/bear AI such that a predator can now reach you where they previously couldn't (i.e. if you don't close the door on the Mountaineer's Hut, a wolf can follow you inside). Or the landmarks on a route you used to use to get somewhere have changed, so you get lost. Or the terrain got changed, such that mountain goating off a cliff now gets you stuck.

[Bearimpaler101]

One thing not to do go to bleak inlet or black rock thinking why I got a full revolver and a flare I'll be fine you wont

[UpUpAway95]

Do not assume that bear is dead until your journal says he's dead.  Trying to harvest as bear that is only sleeping is not a good time.